Red Moon Rising
by Jakuki
Summary: Timeframe: Post Stars~ Demando just turned up. Usagi's vanished. Mamoru and Demando find themselves working together to save the mutually adored Odangoed One. Can they get to her before she's stained forever by the blood of a vampire?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Red Moon Rising  
Author: Jaku  
Email: SailorChibaUsako@aol.com  
  
Part One  
  
"Buh-bye! And thanks again, Himakou-chan!" Usagi waved and called out to her friend as she shut the door and walked down the front steps, her black boots clicking on the cold, hard cement. Himakou's party had been a blast, and since Usagi had been the main planner of the bash, she had dutifully stayed to help her clean it up.   
The crisp autumn air whipped around her, and she lengthened her stride. The thin, black shirt about her barely kept the sharp sting out, it was low cut, flared at the wrists, and gathered at the chest. It accented her choice of tight jeans flaring at the bottom, riding low about her hips. Her odangos were up as usual, just an elegant curl added to the streamers. She glanced up, looked around the deserted street, and hurried home.   
*   
"Is she the one? Do you feel the energy coming from her?" Two demon-like eyes glittered unmercifully.   
"I think so. She certainly has a tremendous energy about her." A second pair of cat-like eyes narrowed slightly, a deeper, masculine voice sounding from the creature. Two, silver vampuric fangs flashed in the moonlight. "Either way, she'll certainly be fun."   
"...Indeed."   
"Come on, Ausani. Give me some credit here. I suck her blood, get some pleasure out of it, she goes unconscious, and then you can have her for your little energy experiment!"   
"Very well." Ausani sighed at her partner, Shatou. He smirked and leapt from the bushes.   
**   
Usagi stopped for a minute and looked over the streets around her. Dark. Deserted. She shivered lightly. Fall was over, but winter had yet to begin. The scent of fall hadn't faded, but the chilly nights had swept in.   
With the deadly silence of the night air, it hit. The moonchild barely had time to scream. The force knocked the child to the ground, smashing her lithe body into the cold cement. Three things happened consecutively for the girl. First, the wind was knocked from her, secondly, a sharp, stinging, almost burning pain swept through her neck, followed by the feel of molten lava pouring down her blouse and staining her hair. Third, a howl sounded from the body on top of her, and unconsciously, Usagi was surprised they didn't pursue.   
"She's... oh good Lord."   
"What's wrong?" Usagi registered a second, feminine voice.   
"She's... Lunarian. I thought they were all dead."   
"Your kidding... so did I..." Ausani stepped closer to the two; Shatou hunched over Usagi.   
"But she is... She has their liquid silver blood..."  
"Anyone who drinks their blood is forever cursed. Selene herself cast it over her children to protect them from their only natural enemy; vampires, as their blood had healing elements in it."   
'"I knoooow! Uhg."   
"Maybe if we help her instead of leaving her out in this bitter coldness, Selene will forgive you and lift the curse."   
"What are we going to tell Master?"   
"...We won't. She can stay in the guest chamber until she's recovered."   
"Alright." Shatou gathered up the now unconscious child and vanished, Ausani following in suit.   
**  
With a groan, Usagi rolled over. Her body felt achy, and her head was spinning. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she mumbled something. The first thing she became aware of was black. The ceiling above her was pure black marble. Her eyes, following the marble, fell upon an open window.   
"Must be night time," she mumbled dryly, observing the darkened skies outside. She yawned, deeply exhausted from whatever had befallen her, which, to her surprise, she oddly did not recall. It was a bit of a blur, as if someone had willed her not to remember, but doing so poorly, as she remembered a tingling up her spine, and then sharp, sharp pain. Nothing more.   
She rubbed her neck, finding her body extremely comfortable. She rested on a down mattress, several thick pillows rested beneath her golden head. She gasped at the sheer magnificence of the room. Tall, bronze lamps burned in the corners of the room. The huge bay windows draped with silken sheets and gold-lined tapestries. The poor Odango couldn't figure out where she was, despite the odd, nagging fact she felt as though she had been here before. A long time ago, perhaps, as since then, her beloved Mamo-chan had flown to America only to get himself killed, and later resurrected, along with anyone else who had lost their star seeds, by herself. All was well, and she had settled down to live a halfway normal life.   
"I could've sworn whatever mugged me wasn't human... Any veteran senshi like myself would've heard, or at least, *sensed* something... there was nothing... and odd tingling... but I've never felt that before." She stayed quiet, resting a little in the bed, still feeling dreadfully weak.   
**   
A dark form sat on a throne, a blood red glass nearby.   
"She's near..." He murmured softly aloud, to himself. "But... where?" He rose from the throne when the two, double stone doors sprang open, and Ausani and Shatou came bursting in.   
"MASTER!" The two fell on their knees before him.   
"...yes?"   
"Do you have another mission for us?"   
"...Not at the moment, no. I would call you if I did."   
"Oh.. well..."   
"I was just going to go prowling."   
"For what?"   
"I feel a presence. I'm curious." Panicked looks were exchanged.   
"No no! You mustn't!"   
"And why not?"   
"SIRE!" A third voice came into play. The commander jogged up to 'Master'. "Sire! We need to discuss the Tactics! Classified!" The Admiral dragged Master out before he could get in another word edgewise. Shatou glanced at Ausani.   
"We've got a few hours. He'll keep Master busy for a while. We need to get her healed and out of here." Ausani nodded in response, and they jogged out of the room.   
**   
Usagi stirred slightly. She turned over on her side and slid out of bed. She found a gown laid out of her, of which she changed into it, wrinkling her nose.   
"Slut." She called herself a nasty name, looking at her reflection. The gown was black, boat-necked, low cut, gathered at the bosom, and long-sleeved, slits up to her thighs. On the bright side, she got a pair of complimenting black heels to go with it. She slipped the black ribbons into her golden hair, and kicked open the door, annoyed. She was going to find out where she was, no matter what. She poked her head out, and looked around. Seeing no one, she summoned her courage and began boldly wandering the hallways. She poked her head through several rooms, wandered many deserted hallways and many lifeless rooms. Finally, after a few hours, she exhaustedly pushed open one of two gigantic stone doors and peered in.   
The life flew out of her. She knew *exactly* where she was, and she was furious.   
**  
'Master', running his hand through his hair, walked back into his room, exhausted. He hadn't had a chance to look for the Presence, although he was sure it was still here. He raised his eyes from the black marble floor and looked at his throne. He felt the breath flee his lungs, the color drain from his already pale face.   
"...You!"  
"Yes, me! And YOU! You have some questions to answer!" Usagi wagged her finger at him from where she sat, no, was sprawled in his throne, one of her legs over the side, giving any man quite a view. Her eyes were an icy blue, her lips in a ridged line. "You have some nerve to sick your drones on me... like that… at night. Didn't even get to henshin. Your low."   
"I... What are you *doing* here?!"   
"Excuse me!? What am *I* doing here?! Your little vampuric drones attacked me!"   
Master blinked. "I had no idea you were even here... and I sent no one to harm you, I swear..." He took a few steps toward her, but she hopped up and kept her distance, matching them, slipping behind his throne, using it as a potential shield.   
"Then why am I here? And... how did you...?   
"How did I what?" She stepped out from behind the throne and walked towards him slowly, bringing her hands up to brush his pale face. He didn't move, he was too afraid if he did, she would pull away.   
"You're here, alright. But… how?"   
"How what?"   
"I'm the senshi of Life, and even I cannot raise the dead... and yet... the living dead stands before me now..." He reached up and held her small hand to his cheek, not answering her question. They were so close… and alone... she wasn't frightened... he could almost... He leaned down to brush his lips gently against hers... closer...  
BAM!   
"Your hiiiiiighness!" Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum ran in. Shatou tripped and Ausani fell on top of him, both hollering 'Master!' at the top of their lungs. Demando let out an annoyed growl and raised his head from Usagi's. So close. Usagi peeked around Demando and blinked. Shatou blinked.   
"Iiee! You're supposed to be in your room, little girl! How did you get out!?"   
"…the door was unlocked." Ausani smacked Shatou in the head.   
"You dumbass. You forgot to lock it!"   
"Hey... that wasn't very nice..." The two went on bickering.  
Demando grew more impatient and Usagi stepped away from him. They had been getting along, too!   
"Will you two SHUT UP!?" Deadly silence blanketed the room, and the two fighting stopped and faced their master. He sighed and rubbed his temples. "Just... leave..."  
"But the girl..."   
"Leave her to me."   
"No! Don't kill her! Pleeease!" Shatou threw himself at Demando's feet. "It was my fault! I was hungry, and I was gonna have some food, and she just happened to be there, and Ididn'tknowshewasalunarianandIthoughtifItookcareofherthecursewouldbelifted!"   
"Beg Pardon?"   
"I… I thought Selene might forgive me for piercing one of her Children if I took care of her instead of just leaving the poor girl out there..."  
"Wait... wait a minute. You I BIT /I her?!" Shatou cowered, and Usagi placed a silencing hand on Demando's arm.   
"Don't worry about it..." Her voice was low and soft, it took even Demando by surprise. "As for you..." She looked at Shatou, who looked like he was going to cry. A soft smile spread across her lips, and she held out her hands. A white ring glowed beneath the vampire, and a white mist could be seen lifting from him. Then, the light faded, and her hands dropped to her side.   
"You had no right to lift the curse, Usagi." It was Demando's turn to talk quietly.   
"Oh, I think I did." They weren't looking at each other, but at Shatou, who was dancing around in circles hugging himself, occasionally falling to his knees and bowing to her, then getting up and dancing around again, and Ausani, who had just sweatdropped and held her face in her hands, shaking her head sadly.   
"How so?"   
"I was the one that caused it, ne?"  
"He bit you. He deserved what he got for it."  
"Yes, and Saffir loved you. Did he get what he deserved for it?" Silence. "That's what I thought. I had a feeling I was brought here, and I knew it was only a matter of time."  
"How did you know?"   
"For one, I felt you when you exploded into existence... a ripple only a body with power could create amongst the senshi."   
"For the record, I did not *explode*... I merely... woke up..."   
"But your power exploded, and it gave you away to us sensitive to it. I knew it was you, I recognized it. The same spine tingling pain that I felt when you abducted me the first time."   
"Indeed... So you knew?" She evaded his question with one of her own.   
"Why are you here? You know your more than welcome on Earth." The two royalties had faced each other in the intellectual debate, quiet and controlled, and the two 'inferiors' to Demando had faced them, watching, hopeful.   
"What do you mean?"   
"Remember that promise you made to me... when you were... you know."   
"No, I don't recall. Dying tends to make one tired and forget things. Remind me, Beautiful." Shatou and Ausani exchanged glances, and sat down on the floor with popcorn. Usagi glanced at the audience, and shook her head sadly, rolling her eyes. She smiled sweetly.   
"You told me, actually, I made you promise, that, if you lived, you'd spend your days on Earth with the senshi, *peacefully*, living your happy little life."   
"Ah yes, now I do recall."   
"Will you keep your promise and join us?"   
"I'd be honored to..." He glanced at Shatou and Company. "What are you looking at?!" They hopped up, popcorn flying everywhere, a tub landing on Demando's head. Usagi giggled, covering her mouth, and, Shatou, murmuring a chain of words, high-tailed it out of there, Ausani on his heels.   
Usagi, still giggling, reached up and pulled the buttery container off of his silver hair. She ran her fingers through it briefly and then studied the butter on her fingers, before looking back up at him, a twinkle in her eyes.   
"You might consider washing you hair…before you come to Earth…" He nodded, annoyed. "I'll send you home and join you shortly." She smiled.   
"Arigatou..." She got up on her tippy toes and kissed his cheek, before she felt herself falling backwards. When she woke up, flowers surrounded her, and she lay on her back in an open field. "Home, sweet home..."   
**   
Demando stepped out of the shower and toweled off. Carefully gliding over the tile as not to slip, he dressed himself in his princely garments. He glanced in the mirror, and his brows furrowed in doubt. Too obvious. He quickly stripped out of his royal cape and silken clothes, and conjured a pair of jeans and a white shirt. He smiled. Much better. He vanished in a flash of light.   
**   
Usagi got up and brushed off her jeans. She smiled softly and wandered around the Juuban Park. She found a pretty white bench and made it her new home. She sat there quietly, waiting for her new friend. Softly, a shadow crept up behind her.   
"Hello... princess." Usagi glanced up, grinning, at Demando. The smile dropped from her lips as the color drained from her face. It wasn't Demando. It was a tall man, about his height or so, dark black hair, and dark eyes. He wore a black coat, and thick leather boots. His lips parted widely in acknowledgment to her fear, revealing a set of white teeth, marked on the end with two pairs of incisors. Usagi's brilliantly hued blue eyes widened in realization, and she gasped as she felt him snatch a hold of her.   
A sharp sting pierced her neck, and she felt her energy deplete rapidly. She fell off balance, and his arms around her supported her. She didn't feel like she was loosing blood, but she did pass out just the same. He lifted her up princess-styled and vanished on the spot.   
**   
**  
Woohoo. Polished and ready to go. Finally worked out the HTML bugs... I was using Word, and I got tipped off that it was a no-no and had to convert to Notepad. u.u It's here, in all its glory. Part two is complete, but still in the polishing process, seeing as I had typed THAT in Word, too, before getting the handy tip. Ah well, thanks for hangin' in there guys, and I LOVE suggestions and feedback!  
*** 


	2. Chapter 2

Red Moon Rising  
  
Part 2   
  
Rating: PG-13 (Again, Mild, yet VERY excessive language… Mamoru needs to clean his mouth out.)   
  
((Author's Note: Gomen Nasi. The last "Chapter Two" I had appeared to only be half of what it should be. Something went wrong with the loading, and so, now I present you with the full version. I also appriciate all the reviews I got! I was like "wow!" So.. thanks for reading, and I'll keep working!))  
  
Demando looked around the Juuban Park, looking for Usagi. She said she'd meet him on Earth. Now all he had to do was find her. His violet eyes flickered about softly, and he turned around, only to crash into a huge, strong object. He quickly assessed that it wasn't an object, seeing as it grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into a tree roughly.   
  
"Where is she?!"   
  
"Endymoin... kindly put me down."   
  
"YOU BASTARD! I KNOW YOU KNOW WHERE SHE IS!"   
  
"Yes. On Earth. I sent her home after my stupid drones kidnapped her."   
  
"Bullshit. She's not here. She hasn't been here. No one's seen her. WHERE IS USAKO!?"   
  
"...Wait... She's not here?"   
  
"No... my link with her is gone. She's not on this planet." Demando socked Mamoru in the jaw, and Mamoru, stunned, staggered backwards holding his jaw, glaring. Demando dropped neatly to the ground and smoothed his shirt and looked calmly at his archenemy.   
  
"Endymoin, control yourself. Now, your telling me she was here, and now she's gone?"   
  
"That would be my previous statement, yes. I must warn you, my *friend*," Here Mamoru sneered, "It will cost you more than your life if you have hurt her in any way. You cannot deceive the future king of the Earth."   
  
"As I'm not trying to. Hm. After getting assaulted with popcorn from my lackeys, I sent Usagi home, went to shower, the initial plan being to follow her seeing as she invited me to live here."   
  
"Wait, wait... your going to live *here*? On Earth?"   
  
"Surely you don't have a problem with that..."  
  
"You better believe I do... it's my job to protect Usagi-chan."   
  
"I have her best interests at heart-" Demando didn't have time to finish, Mamoru charging at him again. Ready for the blow, the Prince sidestepped the pissed Earthen King.   
  
"You have your own interests at heart, you ass."   
  
"Language, language."   
  
"You stupid f-"  
  
"Ah! Surely Usagi doesn't like that."   
  
"No, She doesn't."   
  
"Stupid King. Your pride had blinded you."   
  
"..What do you mean?"   
  
"Don't you see? Something has happened to Usa-"  
  
"Usagi-hime-sama, to you."   
  
"Very well. Regardless, something has happened to her, and we need to help her."   
  
"Wait... We?"   
  
"Yes, we, as in, you and I work together. Ironic, ne?"   
  
"Can we manage that without killing each other?"   
  
"I think so, our objective is similar. Protect Usa."   
  
"Usagi-hime-sama to you, Demando! She is not Usa! Not to you. Not ever."   
  
"Forgive me."   
  
"This should prove interesting, at least..."  
  
"Amen to that."   
  
*Two Hours Later...* ( AN: ' ' denote the 'little Mamoru', in other words, his conscience, while ~ ~ denote the little Demando and his conscience.)   
  
Demando sat on one end of a park bench, his legs crossed, his arms crossed across his chest, and his nose turned up, his back to Mamoru's back, who, consequently, sat on the other end of the bench, HIS arms crossed across his chest, HIS nose turned up. They, upon realizing their importance to each other and Usa, had resorted from physical fighting to insults, of which, Mamoru was better equipped for, having had his fights with Usa some months ago. Mamoru needed Demando to navigate Demando's palace, as that was the conclusive location of her whereabouts, while Demando needed Mamoru's link with Usa to pinpoint her, seeing as his castle was huge, and it would take days to go through every room.   
  
Demando lowered his head to admire the flowers, a smile tweaking at his lips. Damn Mamoru. Damn him to hell. It wasn't Demando's fault that Mamoru was better with insults. Demando just hit people to get his point across. He was a stuck-up prince like that. Mamoru, though less violent with his haikus and roses, was sharper with the insults; a blade Demando had no shield for. He had long since discovered how invaluable Mamoru was to his aid of Usa, at least, temporarily. Afterwards, their alliance would be dissolved with Usa safe.   
  
Mamoru watched the birds flutter overhead. He closed his eyes softly, letting the wind tousle his raven locks. Usako was in trouble. He knew where, with the help of, *him*, he had come to the conclusion that Demando had stashed her in his castle, and now played innocent and came to Mamoru for help. His story, however, didn't explain why Demando had been standing in the middle of a field, looking for someone.   
  
'Duh Chiba.. he was looking for *you*, Einstein.'  
  
"Who are you?"   
  
'Your conscience. You'd better be smart and listen to me, because I am right. Always.'  
  
"B.S."   
  
'Suite yourself. Now, try explaining to your archenemy that your not crazy and not really talking to thin air, because he is looking at you like your mad.'  
  
Mamoru turned around and saw Demando giving him a peculiar look.   
  
"Who, Pray Tell, Dear Endymoin, were you just conversing with?"   
  
"Erm... I... I was, see..."  
  
"...Yes?"   
  
'I'm waiting. Figure this out.'  
  
Mamoru ignored the little devil inside him and offered a meek explanation.   
  
"See, I... I come to more rational conclusions when I think aloud, and... that's what I was doing..."  
  
"Like I am coming to the rational conclusion that you're mental, only, I don't have to make everyone else think I'm mental to do so?"   
  
"Er... Yes, NO! I mean no! I'm not mental!"   
  
"...Indeed. That remains to be seen, Endymoin."   
  
"...Right."   
  
They turned their backs and turned up their noses and went back to pouting.   
  
~Not bad for someone who lost to the Insult Master.~   
  
"Hush." Demando spoke quietly to his conscience.   
  
~It's true you know.~   
  
"It is not."   
  
~You think I'm just some stupid little voice, don't you?~   
  
"Yes, I do think your some stupid little voice."   
  
~That's setting you up to be embarrassed.~   
  
"Right, only I'm smart enough to avoid traps."   
  
~Very good. Clever one, arncha? Now, explain to Mamoru why YOUR conversing with yourself.~ Demando blinked and knew what had happened. He turned around and faced a triumphant Mamoru. Mamoru was giving Demando the now-who's-mental smirk.   
  
"Must be contagious." Demando glared at Mamoru, who smiled sweetly back, wondering what else he could say to add insult to injury.   
  
"This is going to be a long few hours we have to spend together."   
  
"Demando, you have never said more truer words."   
  
"Perhaps not."   
  
They went back to their little corners, two schoolboys who looked like they had gotten in a fight and forced to serve detention together.   
  
*Two MORE hours later*  
  
No one had budged, although both had grown sick with worry over Usagi, though neither would give in and say 'Let's go.'. They were waiting for the other to. It was a testosterone thing. Demando was staring off into space, when he heard Mamoru cry out in pain, the term 'Usako!' evident in his voice. Demando wheeled around and hopped up, walking uncertainly to where Mamoru was kneeled over on the ground, clutching his head.   
  
"Endymoin...?"  
  
"Usako... is... in grave danger..." Mamoru shook his head and rose to his feet shakily.   
  
"What just happened?"   
  
"She's scared... terrified... and she just felt a sharp pain before loosing her energy and passing out... May God help the man that laid his hand on her."   
  
"We need to find her then, and stop acting like immature boys, put aside our hatred for each other for a few hours and help her." Mamoru nodded and accepted Demando's offered hand, and stood up. They both looked down at the bond briefly connecting the two, and the separated immediately and with a chorus of 'ew's and 'gross!'es, they brushed their hands off and rinsed and washed them.   
  
**  
  
Demando and Mamoru stalked quietly through the corridors, their energy levels down so as not to be detected. Mamoru was right behind Demando, directing general directions toward Usagi. Occasionally, Mamoru would trip on Demando's cape, and a snide comment on King of the Earths and klutzes would slip quietly through Demando's lips. The stone pillars and the thick, marble walls made it hard for Mamoru to sense Usagi, hindering the search greatly.   
  
After another hour or so, the odd alliance sat down in an exquisite parlor, soft, satin furniture, a love seat lined in red silk (mind you, they took opposite arm chairs and did NOT sit in the love seat together), and a huge ornate stone fireplace, the hearth crafted to send the warmth outward, delicately crafted pokers resting beside the burning health.   
  
"I just don't understand what happened to her..."  
  
"Why don't you start by telling me what you do understand..." Mamoru offered.   
  
"Well, I was dozing off in my throne... and I felt an odd tingling... the same feeling I had when I am in Usagi's presence. I was baffled, and before I could pursue the notion to search for the source, my blundering idiots came in. After I got rid of them, my commander wanted a word with me, so I spoke with him over wine. When I came out, I was far too exhausted to search, and, well, THERE she was, sitting, rather deliciously I might add, sprawled in my throne, looking pissed as hell."   
  
"...Indeed."   
  
"You did ask."   
  
"So I did. But.... what happened AFTER she confronted you?"   
  
"We talked, and my little vampire lackey had kidnapped her, evidently after feasting on her, and realizing her blood was holy, and they assumed if they could help her, they wouldn't be cursed."   
  
"Who are the vampires?"   
  
"Shatou. He's the only one."   
  
"Are you positive?"   
  
"Yes. Fairly, that is. None others have shown any signs of vampurism. Why? What are you thinking, Endymoin?"   
  
"For the record, I'm Mamoru to you, currently. Gimmie another 1000 years, then I'll be Endymoin."   
  
"Fair enough. Answer my question, now."   
  
"Well, since ah, what do you call him? Shatou? Yes. Since Shatou was attracted to Usagi, I thought perhaps he came back to get her again."   
  
"...maybe. Let's go investigate Shatou's chambers."   
  
"Is he there currently?"   
  
"Shouldn't be."   
  
"Then let's go."   
  
**  
  
Usagi's eyes fluttered open softly. She had a pounding headache, and she felt like a semi truck had hit her. She groaned softly and rolled over. What had happened? She didn't recall. Perhaps someone had meant for her to forget, they knew she knew, and she knew that someone wanted her to forget, and thus the reason why she couldn't remember. Odd.   
  
Her eyes flickered up as someone entered the small room, carrying a tray of... an odd assortment of what she presumed to be food. He smiled sweetly at her and offered it to her.   
  
"You've been in a tragic accident... here... have some of this. It will help your strength."   
  
Usagi nodded nimbly, and took the proffered nutrition. Such a nice man... so caring. She must have been hurt so badly as not to remember him. Perhaps a car struck her? And he had saved her? No, that couldn't be... even though she didn't remember, she *felt* as though this man held the answers, and perhaps he was even the one who wanted her to forget.   
  
"How do you feel," he asked her. His soft voice cut sharply through her thoughts. She glanced up at him, her eyes meeting his intense ones, and she looked away quickly. Her eyes fell on a goblet of some bright, red liquid. Wine? Possibly. It didn't smell like it. It's scent reflected... flowers... however, there was an underlying scent, as though someone was trying to cover it up... a strong one. She concentrated; she knew she'd smelled it before... in her home? No. Battle? Yes. It was blood. That's what it smelled like. She had sniffed it's scent before, her own, her senshi's, in combat. But that was ridiculous. Why would he want her to drink blood...? It was probably some drink to help her gain strength.   
  
A smirk tweaked at his mouth, unnoticed by her as she sipped from the glass, and choked a bit as the fiery concoction burned a trail down her throat. She was about to throw it back up; her stomach rejected it heavily, but he placed a hand on her throat, holding the contents in.   
  
"You must swallow. It will help you... heal." She nodded as best she could through tear stained eyes. After a moment, she got it down, and it stayed down. She sunk back into pillows. After gazing at her for a moment... her lovely features, her deliciously pale skin, round, red lips, sun kissed hair...  
  
"I hurt..." He frowned in concern.   
  
"Where?"   
  
"My head... and... my chest..." He raised an eyebrow. "Er... my lungs and heart... not my-" she cut herself off and flushed slightly. He just smiled in response. He was dressed in a neat black shirt, tucked into a black pair of jeans. Ebony hair was swept back from his chiseled features, and a soft, glimmering, barely detectable malicious gleam lingered in his dark eyes as he watched her hungrily, breathing in ever breath she exhaled... lounging in her aura of innocence.   
  
"You can rest here for a while..."   
  
"..Thank you." He startled.   
  
"P-pardon?"   
  
"I said thank you. For being so nice to me, sir..." Now, the 'black man' was way beyond comprehending. He felt of sharp pang of guilt; she was thanking him for giving her what could be the worst nightmare ever. Shrugging, he shoved it away.   
  
"Your welcome." He said simply, winking as he walked out of the room, shutting and locking the door behind him. Usagi looked around the room, and ruffled the blankets around her as a peacock would her feathers. Still cold, and dragging the blankets looped around her shoulders and slender body, she slid out of the bed and wandered around the small containment room. She tried to open the door, but found it locked. Sighing, she rested her ear against the door. She shut her eyes and listened.   
  
Her heart jolted. She heard him. No, she FELT him, as only she could.   
  
"MAMOCHAAAN!" She pounded loudly on the door, screaming at the top of her lungs. He was near, her senses were tingling wild. "Oh god please don't let him leave, please let him hear me! MAMO-" She was silenced when she was knocked backwards as the door swung open, two, narrow, red eyes glaring at her. It was her 'friend'. She blinked from her sprawled position on the floor, startled.   
  
"Shut up, child, or I will silence you permanently." A soft smirk glowed on his face as he noticed the unnatural whiteness in her face, more so than what it should be if she were frightened. He walked over to her and knelt down, touching her cheek. Cold. Deathly cold. The smirk widened. "Soon... very soon..."  
  
"Soon what?" She asked quietly, letting him stroke her cheek as he pleased, unmoving. He stood back up.   
  
"You will be mine. Demando doesn't deserve you. He tried. He thought he could taint your lips and seduce you unto him. I knew better. The only way to turn you to me was to taint you from the inside, no, not your heart, dear, blessed child..." He laughed as she brought a hand up to her heart, confused. He lowered his voice, his smirk widening to reveal a pair of incisors, one at each end. "Your blood."   
  
Usagi's eyes widened considerably, and she shrieked loudly, at least, she tried. Her voice was caught in her thought, and not a sound was uttered from her tantalizing lips. He backed away from her slowly, the sick grin wide as Usagi's hand flew to her neck, where she indeed did feel a pair of wounds resembling that of fang wounds.   
  
"You mean... I'll... I'll..."  
  
"Yes... you will be mine... you will become one of my kind. And when that happens, you will be bound to me. Forever." Usagi blinked, her body quivering. She was so shocked she just started at him, horrified, unbelieving. Chuckling, he bent down and pecked her lips before her got batted away by her. With an evil smirk, he walked out of the room, the door locking behind him, for good, this time.   
  
**  
  
Demando had stopped and turned around, seeing as his company had halted.   
  
"Mamoru?"   
  
"She... I don't know... She's frightened... She needs help..."  
  
"Then lets help her!"   
  
"We're trying."   
  
"Hello, gentlemen." Demando and Mamoru looked up.   
  
"Hello, Admiral." Demando spoke to his general quietly, wondering what had happened. He looked up and down the general, noting his oddly hued red eyes and his ensemble of black.   
  
"Where are you going?"   
  
"We're going to Sha-" Mamoru was silenced when Demando jabbed him not-so-gently in the ribs.   
  
"It's none of your concern, Admiral. You have no grounds for speaking to your Prince. Be off with you."  
  
"Yes, of course. Forgive me." With that, he slunk off, his smirk on his face hidden by his retreating back.   
  
"On to Shatou's!" Demando said cheerfully, adding insult to injury, seeing as Mamoru was still nursing his ribs, muttering things the author wouldn't type, as it doesn't fall into the category of 'Mild, excessive language' or the 'PG-13' rating.   
  
Pausing at Shatou's door, Demando laid his ear against the doorway, listening for signs within. Hearing none, he pushed it open and walked on in, shutting the door behind him. Mamoru blinked and growled, shoving the door open, knocking Demando to the ground.   
  
"Oh, So sorry," Mamoru murmured as he stepped over the fallen prince with mock concern. Grumbling and getting up, Demando and Mamoru plowed about his room, looking for any signs of a certain, golden-haired goddess.   
  
*30 minutes later*  
  
They found none. Sighing, Demando glanced around to make sure everything in the room was in order. It was best not known to Shatou they had been going through his room, for, if he indeed, was responsible for her abduction, he shouldn't know they were on to him. Or were they?   
  
Demando and Mamoru slipped quietly out the room, and shut the door, scampering quietly down the hallway. They put as much distance between Shatou's room and themselves as they possibly could, should he find his room had been searched somehow, despite the careful attention given to not disturbing anything.   
  
"That was a flop."   
  
"Indeed," Demando added, the two now feeling safe to talk aloud. They had found their way back into the royal parlor they had previously occupied, after their last, useless expedition. This time, though, unknowingly, they had both, unconsciously, slumped side by side into the love seat.   
  
"What now," Mamoru asked his unlikely alliance. Demando responded with a deep sigh, and, then, evidently realized their unlikely seating arrangement.   
  
"I suggest we separate our bodies." The realization now apparent to him, Mamoru smirked.  
  
"Demando... And all this time I thought you were after Usagi... you little devil..."  
  
After that, Mamoru barely had time to lurch out of the loveseat before he got impaled with Demando's backhand; a nasty thing to get his by. He was, indeed, very good at hitting people.  
  
Mamoru smirked from the other side of the room as Demando propped his feet up in the space Mamoru had recently vacated.  
  
**  
  
Usagi sniffled, looking around atfer going through the past 10 minutes of utter hysteria... she had screamed, cried, and even begged through the door for her life back... but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Well, not really, seeing as the Admiral was standing right outside, feeling slightly remoursful, but she didn't know that.   
  
She had finally realized what was going on, and it scared the daylights out of her. Usagi crawled over to the mirror, and shed herself of the blankets. She stood up, and noticed, much to her surprise, her wounds had healed. She drew her hand along her complexion... and she furrowed her brow. Weren't vampires suppossed to be pale? She noticed she was far from it... her nomal hues were returning, her lips a supple red. She shrugged. Not that she minded. She liked being human. Usagi then realized that her pleading and sobbing had gotten her nowhere. So, she acted more like Usagi-chan, and began hunting for another way out. Her cerulean eyes fell upon an air conditioning vent. A small one. How cliche. Usagi pushed a chair over under it, and clambered up, and pulled off the grating. She hoisted her lithe body inside, and... began sneezing.  
  
It was obvious this hadn't been used in a very long time, and quite possible it was forgotten. Cobwebs hugged the walls like plaster, and spiders too. Usagi didn't like spiders much, and winced as she crawled through, cleaning out the cobwebs as she went. She passed over a grating in the floor that hung down in a room, and she shrieked as it gave out from underneath her. She quickly clambered to the other side as it smashed into the ground. She peered down in the hole, and saw no one was around. Thank God. Usagi sat back and dusted herself off and then continued on her way. She was a bit worried though... how much longer would it be before even more ducts fell out from under her?  
  
**  
  
The Admiral was busy lounging in Demando's throne, since the White Prince was nowhere to be seen. He helped himself to his wine, and sipped at it. It was good to be in charge. He felt a creak above him, and raised his eyebrows to the stone ceiling. Rats? Hardly. This was a hefty rat. A smirk curled at the corner of his lips as he heard scratching through the black marble. He quickly assessed where the rat was, and opened his palm, sipped his wine, and blasted a hole in the ceiling.  
  
Usagi screamed as she fell, but she stopped suddenly when she landed in something soft. Her next realization was that it was someone's lap. The Admiral was pulling cobwebs out of her hair. Usagi blinked.  
  
"Dear child... have we been playing 'Make Believe'? I do believe your a mess..." Usagi slapped him across the face and hopped up and sprinted out of the room, leaving a stunned Admiral behind. He shrugged, sighed, and sipped the wine again. "It's not like she can escape..."  
  
**  
  
Free free free!! Usagi was free! She was sprinting down random hallways, turning right, then left, then right, then left and so on. She had no idea where she was going, but logic told her sooner or later, she'd hit something. Or someone.  
  
**   
  
Demando was lounging back in his armchair, resting, as he, too, had removed himself from the loveseat. Mamoru stared blankly out the door, and blinked.  
  
"Er... Demando-sama?"  
  
"..hai?"  
  
"...Wasn't that just Usagi-chan that ran by?"  
  
Demando bolted up and both sprang from their seats and peered out the door. Usagi stopped, and looked around, panting, lost. She wailed. Mamoru was estatic, and shoved Demando away from him, and ran over to her, catching the surprised nymph in his arms as he showered her in butterfly kisses.  
  
"M-Mamo- *pant* chan!" Usagi snuggled him close and cling around his neck. Demando coughed in the background. A poof was heard, and black smoke curled up from the ground. When it dissipated, the Admiral stood there, staring down a frightened Usagi.  
  
"Tuxedo-Kamen-Sama. I believe you're holding something that belongs to me." Mamoru blinked and tightened his hold on Usagi, while Demando came up behind them, staring his Admiral down.  
  
"That's impossible, Admiral. We believe Usagi was taken by a vampire... for her blood... you would have no motive for her." Admiral smirked and snapped his fingers, Usagi appearing in his arms. The odangoed one yet out a shrill yell, and the Admiral only smirked wider, his teeth showing.  
  
"I wouldn't, would I now?" He chuckled lowly. "You know so little about your commerads, Demando-ouji-sama. I pity you." With that, he vanished on the spot, odango in tow. 


End file.
